Reclining chair mechanism



Jan. 20, 1959 A, J, BELJSLE 2,869,616

RECLINING CHAIR MECHANISM Filed O Cl'.. l0, 1956 E I E INVENTOR.

BY www@ Unite rMy invention relates to new and useful improvements in a reclining article of furniture and is directed more particularly to the provision of a reclining chair consisting essentially of a support or frame on which a seat and a back rest are swingably mounted for swinging movements relative to the support and for reclining in multi-positions from upright or sitting position.

Additionally, the invention envisions a leg rest, which may be hingedly connected to the operating mechanism so as to be capable of swinging forwardly and upwardly relative to the seat and as the seat and the back rest are moved to their respective reclining positions.

The invention particularly relates to the provision of -means whereby the back rest and seat and leg rest may be adjusted relative to each other and to the support between a forward upright or sitting position and a rearward recumbent or reclining position.

`It is a principal object of the invention to provide a :.newand novel mechanism whereby the length of the back rest member may in effect -be elongated or extended by virtue olf-the unique relationship of said back rest member and the base and seat, all to the end that im- 'proved comfort for taller than average people is achieved.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved `construction wherein the seat, back rest, and leg rest are readily tiltable relative to the support between the upright and the reclining positions and/ or a multiplicity of intermediate positions therebetween merely by the slightest movement on the part of the chair occupant himself.

A further object is to provide a mechanism, which controls the movement of the moving parts of the article,

such as the seat and leg rest and back rest of the chair and which mechanism is so constructed and arranged 'that it can be completely assembled at a point away from the point of manufacture of the other chair components, and can be brought thereto as a unit for purposes of ase sembly therewith. As a result thereof, a substantial reduction in labor and other costs in connection with the fabrication and assembly of the completed reclining chair is realized.

It is a further object hereof to provide an article of furniture which fully relaxes the body in all positions, it

being unnecessary for the user to operate any latching mechanisms or to retain his body in any certain position in order to achieve and maintain the desired state of balance.

It is a still further object hereof to provide a reclining chair wherein the leg rest `is so constructed and arrange as'it moves in timed relation with the seat of the unitthe distance between the leg rest and theseat is lengthened, thereby affording a chair that is relatively elongated when at the upper limit of its reclining position.

Thus taller than average people can easily be accommodated comfortably hereby. Y

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated a com- :pleteexampleof the invention, in which'the elements preomponents are combined in accordance'with a system States Patent O i of construction which I have devised for the application of the principles ofthe invention.

Changes and alterations arecontemplated, however, and may be made in this exemplifying drawing and mechanical structure, within the scope of the claims below, and without departing from the principles of the invention.

I accomplish same by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of the device of the invention in the upright sitting position; and

Fig. 2 is a simplified diagrammatic illustration of the linkage system of the device shown in Fig. 1 in the reclined position.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the chair construction will be described. l have shown a chair construction, which consists generally of a. base or support or chassis comprising a pair of side frames 10 spaced apart by a plurality of transverse members in the usual manner.

One of such transverse members is shown at 11 connecting the opposite side frames itl and 10.

The conventional vertically extending leg members 12 support the side frames 1t) at the forward and rear ends thereof and may be spaced apart from each other by means of transverse members such as 14.

A back rest member is of the conventional construe tion consisting of a frame work of spaced parallel side rail members 2li and a plurality of transverse members such as 22 connecting therebetween. y

The seat assembly comprises a pair of spaced side frame members 24, which are connected by a plurality of transverse members 26.

The back rest member and seat assembly could be, if desired, unitary pieces of construction instead of frameworks as above described.

The seat assembly is disposable between the opposite side frame members lil and llt) of the base or support or chassis in the conventional and well known manner.

The seat assembly may abut the transverse member 11 when in the upright setting position, as shown, said member 11 thereby functioning as a stop in the conventional manner.

It will be appreciated that the principal chair components may be made of wood, metal or other materials and may be suitably padded or upholstered, all as may be desired.

The back rest member is held in pivotal relation with the seat assembly by means of a pivot member 28 comprising a unitary transverse rod member extending be tween and supported at each end by a side railmember 20 of the back rest and the adjacent side framemember 24 of the seat assembly.

It will be understood that, if desired, a pair of .coaxially disposed pivot or bearing members may be substituted for the unitary transverse rod member 23, each Abeing engageable with a side frame member 2.4i` ofthe bly and the back rest in any conventional and welhknown manner.

If desired, a back rest stop member Sill may be fixed to and between the spaced rearward pair of leg members 12 so as to extend therebetween and function as a stop for the back rest at its extreme rearward or reclined position in the conventional manner. i I r2 4A foot or leg rest member', generally designated by numeral 32, is disposed ilush against the forward part of the base and below the plane of the seat assembly, as shown in Fig. l.

This leg rest comprises a pair of spaced side rails, only one of which is shown in Fig. l and is designated by 34. The side rails 34 are connected at their upper and lower ends by transverse cross rails Se and Se respectively.

The back rest member is provided with a pair of spaced lower end portions or extensions 40, each of which is fixed to a related member 2@ as by bolts 42 or the like and extends downwardly therefrom, as shown.

As elongated primary propeller 4d is pivoted lat its rearward end portion by a pivot member 46 to the lower end portion of extension Alti of the back rest member and .is pivoted at a forward portion thereof 'by a pivot member t8 to an intermediate point of one arm itl of a secondary propeller, which is in the form of a' bell crank lever.

The secondary propeller is pivoted at 52 to an elongated vseat rail member 54, which is fixed by bolts '56 or the like to the adjacent side frame member 24.

The other arm SS of the secondary propeller has an outer free end portion to which is pivoted at 60 the upper end of a supporting link 62. That is, pivot 6@ is spaced away from and is remote from pivot S2.

The lower end of supporting link 62 is pivoted at 64 t an elongated frame rail member 65, which is xed to the member li) of the base as by bolts 63 or the like vas shown.

lthe base.

A downwardly depending control link 7l) is pivoted at 72 to the member 54S fixed with the seat assembly and `is pivoted at its opposite and lowermost end by means of a pivot member 745 to a primary elevator 7o, which has its forward extremity pivoted at 7S to a back wall member Si) xed to the foot rest 32.

' At a mid-point of the primary elevator '76, a pivotal connection 77 between the primary elevator and the lower extremity of the arm Sii of the secondary propeller is provided.

A secondary elevator S2 is connected pivotally at 84 to an intermediate portion of the member Sti, which member 82 has its opposite end portion pivotally connected at S6 to the member Sii of the foot rest 32.

By virtue of this linkage between the seat assembly and the back rest and the leg rest and the support, the

seat and back rest and foot rest are caused to cooperate in relative movements as the mechanism is operated.

Whereas only one system of linkage is shown and de'- scribed, it is to be appreciated that duplicate systems may be employed on opposite sides of the chair structure, which systems operate together and in unison in the well known manner. For purposes of simpliiication, only one system of linkage has been shown and described in connection with Figs. l and 2 hereof.

If desired, an outwardly extending transverse pin member 45 may be fixed to the member i4 in such a manner as to provide a stop against which member 7l) bears when the mechanism is in the extreme reclining position illustrated in Fig. 2.

As the back rest member moves toward the reclined position, the lower extension Lit) thereof moves forwardly thereby propelling the member 44 forwardly and upwardly. As member moves forwardly, it co-operates with member Si)y so as to cause the seat member to swing upwardly upon the base.

Simultaneously therewith, as member 44 moves forwardly and upwardly, the lower extremity of member is also moved forwardly around pivot 52 to the end that as the seat member pivots on its vrpivot member 57, and the forward ,portion of the seat member is swung uppivot 57 between the seat and the wardly, members 76 and 82 are elevated forwardly in unison so that the foot rest 32 moves from the inoperative position shown in Fig. l to the operative position shown in the diagrammatic illustration, Fig. 2.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof and the present embodiments are to be considered merely as being illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising, a base, a seat and back rest movably mounted on a common pivot on said base, a leg rest, a primary propeller pivotally connected with said back rest, a secondary propeller pivotally connected with said seat and said primary propeller, a supporting link pivotally connected with said secondary propeller and said base, a control link pivotally connected with said seat7 a primary elevator pivotally connected with said control link and said leg rest, and a secondary elevator pivotally connected with said secondary propeller and said leg rest, all adapted and arranged whereby as said back rest is reclined relative to said base movement of said leg rest Vis effected through the movement of said primary and sec ondary propellers relative to said seat coordinated with the movement of said primary and secondary elevators relative to said primary and secondary propellers;

2. An article of repose for supporting the body of a person comprising, a base, a seat and back rest pivoted to each other and movably mounted on a common pivot on said base at a point remote from the pivot of said seat and back, a leg rest, a primary propeller pivoted to said back rest, a secondary propeller pivoted to said seat and said primary propeller at a point remote from its connection with said back rest, a supporting link pivoted to said secondary propeller and said base at a point remote from the connection of said seat and said secondary propeller, a control link pivoted to said seat at a rvpoint remote from the connection of said secondary propeller and said seat, a primary elevator pivoted to said control link and to said leg rest, and a secondary elevator pivoted to said secondary propeller and said leg rest at a point remote from the connection of said primary elevator and said leg rest, all adapted and arranged whereby as said back rest is reclined relative to said base movement of said leg rest is effected through the movements of said propellers relative to said seat coordinated with the movements of said elevators relative to said propellers.

3. In a reclining chair consisting of a base and 'seat and back rest and leg rest, the improvement in a unitary mechanism combinable with the recliningchair components and comprising, a primary propeller pivoted to the back rest, a secondary propeller pivoted to the seat .and said primary propeller at a point remote from its pivotal connection with the back rest, a supporting link pivoted to said secondary propeller and the base at a point remote from the pivotal connection of the seat and said secondary propeller, a control link pivoted to the seat at a point remote from the pivotal connection of said secondary propeller and the seat, a primary elevator pivoted to said control link and to the leg rest, and a secondary elevator pivoted to said secondary propeller and the leg rest at a point remote from the pivotal connection of said primary elevator and the leg rest, all adapted and arranged whereby as the back rest is reclined relative to the base movement of the leg rest is effected through the movements of said propellers relative to the seat coordinatedl with the movements of said elevators relative to said propellers.

4. In a reclining chair consisting of a base and seat and back rest and leg rest, the improvement in a unitary mechanism combinable with the reclining chair comp6- nents and comprising a primary propeller pivotallyconnected with the back rest', a secondary propeller-pivotally connected with the seat and. said prin'ifary` propeller, a

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Luckhardt Nov. 24, 1953 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 1954 Maurer l une 22, 1954 Luckhardt June 19, 1956 Lorenz Feb. 19, 1957 

